Agricultural Land Classification detailed Post 1988 survey ALCR00797

Scanned original paper maps and survey reports from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food detail the agricultural land classification for the Spencers Wood site. The data, surveyed between 1989 and 1999, uses the grading methodology from the 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' guidelines and includes the subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b. Some surveys also contain unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.

Use Cases

• Analyze historical land capability for planning based on detailed agricultural land classification grades.
• Map soil quality variations based on the subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b.
• Correlate soil pit descriptions and sample point data with land classification maps for specific sites.
• Study changes in agricultural land potential using surveys conducted under a consistent national methodology.

Strengths

• Data follows the national grading methodology described in 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales'.
• Includes the subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b for more detailed analysis.
• Some surveys contain supplementary unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.

Limitations

• Row count and column-level documentation are absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Maps are scanned from original paper documents at varying scales, which may affect digital analysis.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (survey), Natural England and Ordnance Survey (copyright).

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys with soil mapping and classification, resulting in scanned paper maps and reports.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Survey data is from 1989-1999; last platform update is unknown.

Geography

Spencers Wood, Wokingham, England (site-specific).